Special training, tools and information are often required for emergency responders, such as the Fire Service and EMS, to safely handle emergency situations involving AFVs. Such AFVs include, for example, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and gaseous fuel vehicles. As the configuration of each AFV varies by make, model and year, vehicle manufacturers provide emergency response guides for use by first and second responders that provide vehicle and safety information unique to the particular AFV. Currently, collections of these emergency response guides are made available through websites hosted, for example, by the National Fire Protection Association. The guides vary based on the type of architecture, system(s) and component(s) used in the AFV.
In general, emergency responders are required to locate various badges or other identifiers on the AFV and/or to decode the VIN of the AFV to properly identify the vehicle make, model and year. After the AFV is properly identified, the emergency responder must then locate the corresponding emergency response guide. Of course, in emergency situations such as fighting a fire or assisting injured people, time is of the essence, and any delays in identifying the AFV and accessing the corresponding emergency response guide may result in further property damage, more severe injuries or even death.
Additionally, when water is involved, the dangers presented by AFVs, particularly those with high voltage systems, may be even more severe. It is well known that water is a good conductor of electricity and electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles store large amounts of electrical energy in on-board batteries. The emergency response guides for such AFVs instruct the emergency responders how to safely treat the vehicles when water is involved, which may occur as a result of flooding or driver error. Many AFVs have a high voltage service disconnect and/or an emergency disconnect which must be accessed by the emergency responders. While some AFVs include a high voltage battery that discharges automatically when a collision is detected such as by a motion detector, not all AFVs include this feature. Additionally, some vehicles become at least partially submerged in water as a result of flooding or other events, where no collision occurs.
Thus, what is needed is an improved approach to enable emergency responders to quickly and safely respond to situations involving AFVs.